Burning Bright
by RaeOfHearts
Summary: It's been a year or so since their last meetup. Still no sign of Mia, but something else has become a problem. The transformation orbs have turned to stone. Enter the ever so cynical Ruby, and incredibly peppy Meri Nguyen, saving the Ronins from all new form of enemy Akuma sent by the White Witch. Not only do they have a bounty on their head, but there's a war about to begin.
1. Chapter 1

**Long time no see friends~! I'm baacck~! And I'm in a good place. 3 As to be expected, i needed a break, but i think i smoothed out any wrinkles and I'm gonna give this my best shot (again.) Please feel free to critique and help me along, i plan to turn this into a comic. 3)

Chapter 1- White Witch

There was always time for a nap. At least Ryo thought that as he pet his tigers head. Such a weird creature, that the people in his town had gotten accustomed to seeing him walk around with. Once when he was younger, swat tried to take him in the middle of downtown. That...didn't end well. He sighed, that was only a few years ago-! It felt like eons with all that happened. He looked into the window of the cafe he sat outside. He had grown into his face some since then and there was older presence in his blue eyes which made people read him older than he was. 20 wasn't a bad age though.

He felt a purr on his leg, "hey, boy. They should be here in a bit. Guess who's coming?"

The beast looked up at him curiously, tilting his enormous head to one side as beg a question. White Blaze was an enormous Himalayan white tiger with all the personality of a large mastiff. He smiled and rubbed his head, "Yuli."

The tiger purred louder and licked the young man's hand. The tiger's ear twitched and he turned to look across the street. Ryo turned his attention that way as well. Many years of companionship with beast, he had learned to trust the tigers instincts about things, "White Blaze?"

The tiger growled softly as its hackles raised. Ryo saw the traffic clear and saw a small woman looking at them. She was...strange. she was obviously Japanese, her skin was as pale as cream and hair as white as snow. Her winter blue eyes were sad and piercing. She wore a black skirt suit with blue heels. Was she grieving? She reached in blazer and held out an orb that sparkled like a diamond in her hand.

White Blaze dashed away from the table. Darting between traffic. Ryo got up from the table and ran after the beast. He could hear cars screeching and slid over the hood of a few. He rolled onto the sidewalk and looked up, she was gone. He stood up and dusted himself off as the tiger sniffed the ground. The cat looked confused and sat down, looking at him with confused eyes.

Ryo looked right and left. Where had the small woman gone? He really didn't need this sort of drama in his life again. He had a good job, was starting back at school, and well was sort of happy. Didn't mean he wasn't prepared, but he would rather be in peace. He sighed, and rubbed a hand through his wild Raven hair.

"Ryo?"

He looked back and smiled at the familiar voice , "Touma-!"

Touma was a lanky man with shaggy blue hair and sea green eyes. He wore gray polo over gray slacks with high tops. He raised a brow, "you guys just get here?"

"Did you see a really short white haired woman over here?"

Touma shook his head and grinned, "that your girlfriend?"

"What? No," Ryo grouched as White Blaze trotted over and licked Touma's hand. "Just someone i thought i recognized. "

"Nope. Just got here," Touma shrugged. "Im starved, can we head over to get something to eat? You know Seiji is going to be on time, and the other three are always late. "

Ryo laughed and nodded as they went to the crosswalk to cross back over. White Blaze sniffing the ground as the walked. Ryo found their table outside still empty and he sat back down, "i'll go in and order after you do. No pets and all. "

The person from the next table snickered, "that's a pet?"

White Blaze growled and Touma glared as he walked into the cafe to order, "he's very well behaved."

Ryo looked the person over, they were hunched at the corner table. Foot up on a second chair and despite it being hot and humid, they wore a large baggy gray sweater with really baggy pants and what looked tan and red knee high boots.. The young woman was reading a book, "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy", and looked about 17 or 18. They had charcoal colored hair, one lock curling against his forehead, and piercing blue eyes. Their posture, and the soft accent on their words led him to believe the person was American. He shrugged as he saw a spunky girl walking up, and White Blaze perked up as she got closer down the block.

She was small like the girl behind him, but with bright green eyes and a wild mop of curly pigtails tied with lacy pink bows. She wore big glasses, on her tiny round face, and she had headphones around her neck. She was dressed in pink overalls, with a white dress shirt and platform sneakers. The tiger got up and trotted over to her, Ryo fumbling as pounced on her and began licking her face. She squeaked loudly and giggled as the beast covered her face in kisses, Ryo laughed as he came over, "White Blaze leave the cute girl alone."

The tiger almost seemed to smile as he sat back and the girl laughed loudly as her the young woman from the table behind came up, "the creature is a beast."

Ryo gave the young woman a glare, "he wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I'll be the judge of that," she said giving him a dark look.

"Oh, stop being that way Ruby," the girl said as Ryo held out a hand to help her up. She popped up with an elegant bunny hop. Her curls bouncing with her and she smiled brightly as she adjusted her glasses. White Blaze purring loudly against her legs and he circled around her to sit behind Ryo. She smiled, "your kitty is cute."

"That is not a cat, Meri," Ruby said looking at the beast who was affectionately rubbing against his masters hip with his head. "That is a _tiger._ "

"Oh, shush," she smiled at Ryo and held out a hand. Her nails were bright pink and glittered in the sun, "I'm Meredith, and this is Ruby. We're visiting our relatives for our summer break."

Ryo shook her hand and sat back down at the table, "I'm Ryo Sanada and don't mind White Blaze, I've been with him since I was a kid. He's never bit a single person."

Ruby rolled her eyes and slogged back to the table in the back corner, "don't get your face bit off."

"Don't mind Ruby, she's running on two red bulls and a five hour energy from our trip," she giggled and turned a chair around to sit down across from Ryo while still being at the table with Rubin. She looked back at her companion, "did you order?"

"Yeah."

"Great," she chirped as the tiger came over to lay next to her. "He likes me~!"

"For lunch," Ruby snorted under her breath and glanced at the beast who chuffed at her.

"Oh, shush," Meri repeated and smiled at Ryo, folding her hands under her chin. "You all alone today, Mr. Ryo?"

"Nah, my buddy is ordering," Ryo said just as Touma came out with a try of food. He laughed, "that all for you?"

Touma smirked, "nah, figured i would treat this time seeing as I goofed when cooking that one night."

Meri smiled at the new man, "oh, he's darling."

"Meri," Ruby grumbled.

"What? He is," she snapped back, "am I not allowed to compliment anyone too?"

Touma sat down the trays and say White Blaze snuggling against her platformed shoe, "looks like you made some new friends. You're good at that."

"Thanks," Ryo snorted reaching for a pastry.

Touma held out a hand to her, "Touma Hashiba."

Ruby looked up with a raised brow and Meri jumped up to shake his hand fervently, "HASHIBA?! As in Hashiba tech?"

Touma laughed as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand, "yeah. That's my Dad's company."

Meri grinned ear to ear, "I'm Meredith Nguyen~! But you can call me Meri! Or Meri-chan! Or …."

"Meri," Ruby grouched and deflated looking back at her companion. She stuck out her tongue at the person who was slouched and reading.

"Sorry, I get excited real easy," Meri apologized softly.

"No, that's fine," Touma said smiling at the small woman. She was so profoundly genuine with her emotions. It was...well...refreshing. He felt his cheeks get warm with embarrassment, she was rather cute as well.

"Did you get a girlfriend and not tell your best friends," a voiced laughed from behind them.

Ryo laughed as Touma turned scarlet looking back. Meri peered around Touma and saw three more grown men and a teenager. The three men were all real cute as well. Was today her lucky day for boy scoping? Seemed to be and a smile stayed on her cute spunky face. The man who was chuckling was a large man with wild indigo hair, and broad but smiling face. He was built bigger than anyone else in the group of men, with strong wide shoulders. He was dressed in tank with slacks and plain tennis shoes, each of his strong muscles glistening with sweat. She gulped as she looked at the man on his left. He was much more normal in physique, but he had a soft gentle smile. He dressed in a graphic t-shirt and jeans, with a sweater around his waist and high tops. His hair was a wild auburn curls, much like her own, that framed his sweet face and brilliantly blue eyes. On the big man's right, was the probably the prettiest man she had seen on the whole trip. He had pale blonde hair and piercing lavender eyes set a in a sharp face. His hair swooped over the left side of his face and he had a straight emotionless face. He wore a nice blazer over a dress shirt and jeans, with very nice loafers. The young teenager next to him, seemed intrigued by her presence. He was mousy, politely, but with nice bright blue eyes. He wore a baggy shirt over some jeans, with some green and blue jordans. Today was definitely her lucky day.

Touma shook his head, "no, they were sitting across from us and White Blaze likes her."

Meri came out from behind Touma and held out a spunky hand, "I'm Meri. That's Ruby over there at the table. We're visiting our extended family for our break from school."

Ruby raised a hand as acknowledgment to her existence as she focused on her reading.

The big man shook her hand warmly, "I'm Shu Lei Faun, nice to meet you shortie."

She pursed her lips at the big man as friendly gentleman interrupted to shake her hand, "don't mind him. He's full of jokes that aren't funny. I'm Shin Mauri."

"Hi," she chirped and looked at the blonde.

"Seiji Date, and this is Yuli," the blonde said abruptly.

Yuli gave him a raised brow and then said to her, "are you...in high school?"

"Oh goodness, no," Meri laughed as she stuck her hands in her pockets. "Ruby and I are first year Med Students. I'm specializing in female medicine, Rubin is going to be a brilliant surgeon. We just happen to be short, I'm only 5 feet without platforms on, and Ruby is 5'1''."

Ryo snorted and thought about the tiny woman he saw earlier. She was even smaller than they were, even with heels. Her face was haunting, and eyes were sad. Was she like them? She had an orb. He picked up a roll to eat as Yuli sat down across from him, and picked up a pastry as well. The tiger bounded over and licked the young man's face as he asked, "are you okay?"

"Hm? Just thinking about something I saw earlier," he smiled warmly not to alarm the young man. He had gone through so much, and Ryo didn't want to worry any of them that things might be stirring up again. Especially, where Yuli was coming from. He not only lost his mom and dad years ago, but the woman who had taken him in years ago had vanished. No one knew where Mia was, she had disappeared without any sort of notice. No letter, no email, just nothing and not even phone call since. Yuli stayed mostly with Shin and his family. For a while, he had a hard time with school and he was actually do pretty well again with Touma tutoring him, Shu taking him out for evening runs, and Seiji coaching him with Kendo. Maybe, he hoped, it was nothing.

Touma raised a brow at him and then said to Meri as Ruby got up to get their order and disappeared inside, "that's impressive. What's her deal?"

"She didn't want to be here," Meri said pursing her lips and shaking her head. "She''s just an introvert, don't take anything she says to personally."

Shu flopped into a chair next to her, "has anyone told you, that you're cute."

She laughed and patted his face, "wouldn't be the first, but they were a lot smoother than you are, hunny bear."

"He's not smooth at all," Shin laughed and sat down next to the big guy. "He thinks with his stomach."

"Hey," Shu quipped with a grin ear to ear and Meri winked at him. Her curls springing as she turned to see clouds moving in.

Seiji looked up as he crossed his arms, the air was cold and she shivered terribly as Ruby came back out with their food in a to go bag. She looked at Ruby who glanced up at the sky with their blue eyes, "I think we should go, Meri."

"Yeah, I didn't bring a coat," she agreed and waved to the boys, "nice meeting you all~! I'm sure, we'll meet up again~!"

Ruby rolled her eyes as her companion started skipping off. She was hardly enthused to follow her as the sky started to darken more and more. The wind picked up and was chillier than normal for this time of year. White Blaze chuffed and whined as the two left, purring as he got up to lick Yuli and purr against him. Yuli knelt down and scratched his neck, "hey, big guy. You've been good?"

The tiger gave him a sloppy lick on his face as the wind continued to build up. Yuli looked up and felt a cold spot on his skin, "is...is that snow?"

"What in the world," Seiji said as soft white flakes began to fall.

Shu stood up, "it's the wrong time of year for snow?"

The wind picked up hard as the air turned even more frigid. Shin looked around and slumped a little, "not this again…."

"We don't know what this is," said Touma as the Shin pulled on the sweater he had from around his waist. White Blaze perked up and growled, Ryo turning his eyes and saw the woman standing across the street again.

Ryo stood up as she held out the orb, tears were streaming down her other four men stood quietly as White Blaze growled at her. The tiger bolted just as she dropped the orb, vanishing in snow. The orb glowed brightly as rolled the ground. A crack slowly began to form in it, small and tiny at first, thicker and spilled with cold light as the tiger tried to grab for it. The orb split light an egg, and threw the tiger back with a explosion of light, blinding the group of men. The air turned even more frigid as the light turned into a creature. It was bigger than they were and sort of resembled a mix between a dinosaur and a prey mantis. It was white as the snow that was falling with pale blue faceted eyes. It moved with quick but twitchy motions, it sniffed the air and licked its lips. Its body was sleek and looked very much like a raptor. It narrowed its eyes at them and hissed as it shifted its long claws and started to stalk towards them.

White Blaze picked himself up and growled as he jumped at it. The beast was slapped by the creature's tail and it roared loudly. Hissing as it rattled loudly.

"What the hell is that thing," Shu growled as it jerked towards them and group looked up as more of the creatures began to appear from the shadows hissing and clicking as they approached with what seemed like caution. Touma looked at the creatures as Ryo slid to his tiger, and one of the creatures looked at him straight in the eyes.

"They're wolves," Touma hissed.

"What," Shin said as one lunged and nipped at him. He kicked the creature in the head and sent it sprawling, the others seemed to almost snicker at it falling because of the small mortal man.

Yuli stepped back and hid behind Seiji, "they look like dinosaurs."

Touma growled at the group, "press back, they're going to try and break us up like wolves break up a herd."

Seiji stepped back, putting Yuli between him, Shu, and Touma. He may have grown up with this sort of thing happening but but this was even beyond them. These were more primal creatures, not armored goons. No these were quick witted beasts who watched them with hungry eyes. They did not see them as warriors, but as meat.

The largest one lunged at Ryo and White Blaze. Ryo reached in his pocket just as a wall of flame came between the two. The beast reared and screeched back, its muzzle and claws seared by the flames that was between.

Seiji raised an eyebrow, "did you do that, Ryo?"

"No, she did," Yuli said pointing towards the alleyway.

Ruby stood behind the creatures, her blue eyes glowing red like embers. She clenched her hand and the creature was enveloped by fire, screeching like nails on a chalkboard as it withered to ashes. The other creatures looked at her, and hissed as she placed one hand on her hip and the other she wagged playfully, "nah ah ah, those ronins are ours."

"You really think we'd let our bounty get nabbed up by the White Witch," said the incredibly perky voice of Meri as she walked up beside the four men and young man. She winked at Touma who's cheeks turned red and Seiji scowled at her. "Absolutely, not~!"

"Bounty," Shu asked. "We have a bounty on us?"

"Bout to be expected," Shin sighed and watched as Meri skipped between the creatures. They nipped at her and she moved as if she knew exactly where they were gonna bite. She pet one on the nose and roared as its skin peeled from her touch. "Why don't we ever run into anyone normal?"

Meri kneeled down and touched White Blazes head, her hand glowing. The tiger stirred as if she was healing him and licked her hand softly. She winked at Ryo, "don't worry, we're mostly bluffing."

"I hope," Ryo said as he realized she was healing his friend.

She gave a small giggle and ambiguous wink as she held up a compact, "So Ruby, shall we get this party started?"

Ruby grinned and spread her hands, the ground under each creature quaked and began to crack. The cracks began to open, and lava began to spill out as the creatures started to scramble, "been a while."

Meri giggled as the creatures scattered, one turned and lunged at her. She blew a kiss at the mirror with a wink before lifting it up, "Amaterasu omikami, Douuuujinnn~!"

"Show off," Ruby said as the bandages on her hands raveled free. Her skin was burned badly on each hand, but there was a ring with a garnet seared into each ring finger, "Kagatsuchi Dounouki~!"

White Blaze rose to his feet as the group of humans watched the two women transform. Meri had light spring forth from the mirror. Each band of light became a band of ribbon with surrounded her forming a very elegant thin white armor. Each joint lined with gold and a red chest plate with a golden plate on the back. Her eyes glowed yellow as her hair broke from their pigtails, turning black as makeup lined her face. A staff with a very sharp blade at the end appeared her hand and she slashed through three of the creatures, "hey, remember that time in LA?"

Ruby walked out the flames around her in a thicker armor, her eyes glowing red and her hair white as the snow. Her armor was nothing like any of them had seen before, made of lava rocks and glowed between the seams of the armor like molten rock. Each step made the earth shake, the creatures lunged at her, "you mean Shikaisen's little mongrels?"

"Yeah, wasn't that a whole lot of fun," she cooed back slashing through another creature. Whipping her staff around and stabbing one in the chest behind her, she smiled at it, "didn't mommy tell you not to sneak up on people?"

"I'm not sure what your definition of fun is anymore, but that or this is hardly that," Ruby said as she continued to raise flames. Igniting several on fire, "don't get to sweet on them, Meri, they might bite your face off."

"Oh boo, and I wanted to keep one as a pet," Meri winked back at her friend who growled causing the flames to grow higher and catching many more on fire. "Oooh, so that's how I get you to show some emotion. Gotta piss you off some."

Several of the remaining creatures leaped at the men. Meri raised a hand, and shield of light came between them and the beasts. She slashed through them with ease and they evaporated into the snow from whence they came. She smiled and looked around then pouted, "that was it?"

"What do you mean, 'that was it', why would you want more," growled Touma in frustration at the two women who had more witty banter in their battle than actual concentration on the creatures.

"Because it takes a lot of energy to summon an armor, and its a waste that it ended so soon," she pouted breaking the shield. She was several inches taller in the armor and could look him in the eye. She heard a loud crash behind her and winced, "case and point."

Ryo looked around the woman in the majestic armor and noticed that Ruby had fallen to her knees. Her amor slowly disintegrating as she collapsed on the ground. He dashed to his feet and caught the other small woman just as she passed out. Her hair returning to its ashen color, "who are you guys?"

Meri seemed to ponder her answer carefully and shed her armor, "we're an organization of well meaning individuals with armors who police and maintain the worlds order with the other realms and within our realm. You can call us the Men in Black."

"I saw that movie," Shu said to her with a stiff look.

"Shit," she cursed and looked at them with a sigh. "I can't tell you that...right now. One of your friends sent us though, i can tell you that."

"Friends," Shin asked. "We have friends?"

"You'd be surprised how many people are rooting for you guys," she smiled as she started to fix her curls back in place. "But at the same time, you lot have created quite commotion."

"You said we were your bounty," Seiji said crossing his arms.

"No, I said you had a bounty on your head. We are not bounty hunters, I can tell you that too," she added and he glared again but only smiled her brighter. She was unphased by his grouchy accusatory tone.

Yuli pushed past the guys, there was hope and sadness in his big blue eyes, "was it Mia?"

Meri looked at him woefully, feeling how much that name meant to him, "I don't know that name. Sorry."

"Who's the White Witch," Ryo said looking at her as he lifted Ruby onto White Blazes back. "Can you tell us that and why she wants us?"

"Like I said, you all have a bounty on your head. It's a stiff one at that," she said as White Blaze came over and chirped against her leg. She scratched his head and knelt down, "so a lot of people in power are after you and your armors. The White Witch happens to be a power that is not to happy to have you all around."

Touma looked at her sharply, "how do we know you two aren't?"

Meri took insult to his tone and the look and stood up quickly. She poked his chest, "we did not have to fly halfway across the world to save your sorry asses. We wanted to do a favor for our friend, and we risked our lives to do it. Now, why didn't you all just armor up and take of them for us, if you were so apt to do so?"

Touma growled and bit his lip.

"We can't summon them," Ryo said looking at her.

"You…. you can't," she said with some shock and looking at him with big eyes. "Did you forget?"

"No," Seiji said firmly and showed her the transformation orb in his pocket. It was covered in stone. "We just can't."

"Well, that's no good," she said with another cute pout. Touma glanced away with pink cheeks, how could someone be so incredibly adorable? He glanced away as Seiji shot him a look and he shrugged as Shu nudged his rib. Great, they could always read him like a book.

Ryo laughed warmly, "so are you two gods?"

"No," she said shaking her head. Her curls springing back and forth, "It's complicated. Long story, like I'm sure how you guys got your armors is a long story reserved for another day. When we have a more time to relax, i can tell you."

Shin sighed, starting to get irritated with her vagueness. He decided to repeat an earlier question, he wanted to be done with this matter sooner rather than later but at this rate, it was going nowhere. "So who's this White Witch?"

Ruby shifted on White Blaze and looked up, "the one who wants to cover the world in snow and ice."

"Great," Ryo said, "the small woman. Right?"

Meri looked at him and then at Ruby then back at him, "small woman?"

Ryo thought back, "you know short white hair, super small but wearing a business suit?"

Meri blinked and looked to Ruby who was starting to stretch out her muscles, "No. That's definitely not her."

Meri pursed her lips, looking incredibly worried and frustrated. Yuli came up to her, "do you know who she is?"

"She…..was a friend," Ruby said abruptly and Meri looked off. "Leave it at that. She's not the witch, probably works for her in some way now."

"Oh, sorry," Ryo said to her and she shrugged as she hugged his tiger.

"We should get going and find someplace warm to stay til the storm pasts, " Meri said firmly, "preferably somewhere with food."

"My kind of girl," Shu grinned ear to ear walking with her and clapping an arm around her shoulder. She laughed warmly at him as the group started walking.

Yuli came over to Ruby as they walked, "are you okay?"

"Fine," she said slumping on the tiger and turning her head to look at him. "My armor was meant for a god, not human. It reminds me that I'm human quite a bit."

Yuli nodded, "is she a god?"

"No, but her armor likes her," Ruby snickered as she yawned. "You've been through this with them before?"

He nodded softly.

Ruby smirked as she lightly tapped his shoulder with her knuckles, "you're stronger than you think you are."

Yuli smiled at her nodded politely. He strangly believed her, but he was more worried than ever before.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2~ New Deal

Meri squealed with delight as she slammed through the mall's doors. Followed by the tiger with Ruby on his back and the five men and the teenager. Yuli shivering as snow blew through the door, Ryo shutting it behind them. No creatures had attacked them on the way to the mall, and he wondered why. It reminded him all to well of his first battle with the Nether Realm, and it chilled him to the bone worse than the actual cold.

Meri hopped around rubbing her arms quickly to warm them up, "I swear she spites me."

"She is in spite of everyone," Ruby said as she hugged White Blaze tight.

Meri rubbed her arms a bit slower and wrapped them around herself. She shivered hard , "oh my god, i'm gonna get frostbite."

Ryo came up behind her and rubbed her arms quickly and she squeaked from the sudden warmth. Smiling at him and he nodded. She then jumped and hugged Ruby and White Blaze, "thanks…"

"We should all get jackets since we're here," Seiji said as he walked past. His hands in his pockets, his cold lavender eyes piercing her brilliant green eyes. She wondered about him, he seemed like the icy types she had met before. Meri had only had her armor about five years, but she had met many bearers in those few years and she had come to realize that certain personality types fit certain armos. If he wasn't ice, he was used to it.

"Get off me," Ruby grouched at her friend with a growl. Meri pouted and bounced multiple times as she stood up.

"We can't all be internal combustion engines," Meri snickered as she hopped over to Shu and hugged his chest and buried her face in it. He smelled like good food. Good hearty food and she felt her stomach rumble.

He looked down and raised a brow at her talking stomach. His cheeks were scarlet as he trying not to laugh from her tickles, "didn't you guys bring jackets?"

Ruby shook her head, "we didn't know who was gonna be here, just that there was a bounty on you all and we needed to be here. In the grand scheme of things, the White Witch is not too bad. Could have the Black Witch…."

Meri quipped and looked at her suddenly with a finger to her lips, "you know what they say~!"

"That if you speak her name, she hears you. I doubt it," Ruby rolled her eyes and slumped more on the tiger's head.

The curly haired woman shook her head and then looked up with big green eyes and smiled as she squeezed Shu tight, "you're like a real life teddy bear~!"

Shu turned even brighter red and grinned, "might bite too…"

"Shu," Touma grouched at his friend, "don't be rude."

She let go and started springing off like a jackalope. Her hair bouncing along with her as she hopped along unafraid that anything could be harmful inside of the abandoned mall. Ruby slid of the tiger slowly and he took off after the jack rabbit like girl. Ruby pinched her nose and sighed as she got up with Ryo's help. She slumped against a wall and slid down, "she's infectious."

"You know, I'll get us some food," Shin said as he started off in another direction.

Touma looked at Shu who was almost frozen with a blush, "well, let's go find her."

He tugged Shu along as Seiji looked around solemnly. He found a table to sit at and sat down looking at the woman with serious eyes. She could feel him trying to work her out. Yuli sat down in front of Ruby, "are you okay?"

"My armor drains me pretty quickly, food would be nice," she said as Ryo looked around as well. He was on higher alert than the others, there was no doubt he was the leader. He seemed like that sort. She wondered what was going through the dark haired man's head. She rubbed a hand through her hair and said, "what is on your mind?"

"Just Deja Vu," he answered, "but last time it was just a storm and not snow."

Ruby nodded, "where i grew up there was no snow."

He looked at her, "where are you from?"

"Like we said earlier. The States, but I'm from southern California," she said as she rubbed the burns on her arms. "Meri is from the Northern part of the state. Shikaisen was one of thugs to keep an eye on and then one day, are contact says that someone had finished him off. Called them the Ronins. That's how we first heard of you."

"We," asked Seiji of the small woman.

"Back then we were a trio. Me, Meri, and the woman in the suit," she said as Yuli shifted to sit with his knees against his chest.

"Who is she?"

"Hoshi Nakano. She was in med school with us. Brilliant woman who was going to be the next pioneer in neurosurgery," she looked over her hands. "She was foolish and fell in love with another armor bearer, and that caused a squirmish. Things fell out."

Seiji narrowed his eyes, "what do you mean things fell out?"

"War," said said abruptly and held up her hands. "Love is just as dangerous in this world as murder."

Shin came back with several plates of food, "that's a lousy way to think of things."

Ruby shrugged.

"So we've been drawn into a war," the man with food asked, "just lovely. We don't even have armors, and we're supposed to fight."

She snorted and sighed, "oh, you guys don't know? Do you?"

The three men looked at each other, and Yuli asked, "what?"

"You are part of no clan and claim no loyalty. When no one knew of you, there was no issue. But that changed when Suzunagi had your armors remade by the Amatasu Mikaboshi," Ruby said as she laid her head back against a wall. Her eyes glazed over a bit as she seemed to think back, "Hoshi is the Mikaboshi. It….. broke several alliances and truces. Hence why there is a bounty on your head."

Yuli looked at her with sad eyes, "Mikaboshi?"

"One of the few armors that can make other armors, and summon demons from the Yamato," she said softly as she looked at him. "She broke one rule among all that no one must break. There shall be no more new armors."

"So why come after us," Shin asked as he set the plates out. "We don't want the armors anymore than anyone else."

"Not all of us view the armors as an abomination," she said looking at him. "It's not my point of view but there are those out there who view them as holy commandments."

"Where do you stand," Seiji said with dark eyes.

"I'm a dog," she said with a laugh and ran a hand through her curls and pushed her hood back. She turned her neck and there was a brand on her neck, "I'm Avatar. I do as my Goddess bids, and someone asked my Goddess to save your asses. So we're here."

Ryo looked at her with sad eyes. Here was this small woman who look like she had been through wars with all the burns on her arms and a brand on her neck. Was the other woman who had saved them the same way? He gulped, "who asked you to save us?"

"That I do not know," she said twirling a lock of hair.

Shin slumped in a chair as he ate a bit of his salad, "that's crappy…."

"On the bright side, someone is on our side," Ryo said as sat down with him and ate some food. He looked at Yuli, who looked so defeated. It was easy to understand why he would be down. Another battle was upon them again, and there were two new allies it seemed, but they had lost a few already. Would they lose more? Things seemed more complicated this time. He smiled softly at him, "hey, why don't you go find the others and let them know we have food."

Yuli sighed and stood up, "yeah. Alright."

He started heading into the mall. Rubbing his arms as he slogged along. He understood that everything was happening again for a reason. Would this continue to happen? Would he continue to be dragged into their battles and would he one day not come back from one. He realized that he was cold as he walked past empty shops. He looked into a shop window and pressed a hand against it. He should be dating, and getting ready for college. Touma would come by and help him study harder subjects and take him out to watch the stars. He hardly remembered his parents anymore and it made his heart heavy. He leaned his head against the glass and heard a giggle down the walkway. He started down towards where heard the other woman and saw a shop door propped open with a box.

He peered inside, "hi?"

Touma was sitting on the counter and waved at him, "oh Yuli~!"

He stepped in and waved, "you guys find some clothes?"

The blue haired man nodded and held up a jacket. He jerked his head towards the changing room, "she's having fun trying on other clothes."

"Shu?"

Shu came out from the store's break room with a mouth full of candy, "hey, buddy~!"

"Oh, Shin made some food," Yuli said shivering again. Touma hopped down and grabbed a coat off the rack and draped it on him. He patted his head as Meri hopped out of the changing room wearing a miniskirt, leggings, and a unicorn tshirt. She draped a long fluffy coat over and then added earmuffs. White Blaze purred against her leg loudly and she scratched his head roughly.

"Oh good, I'm starved," she grinned at him.

He sighed and stared at her for a moment, "are you like her?"

"Like who," she blinked as she looked at the young man with quizzical look.

Yuli sighed and clenched his fists. Yelling as tears streamed down his face, "just here because someone asked you to save us?!"

Meri sighed and looked to Shu and Touma. Shu shrugged with a mouth full of candy, and Touma sighed as if he had a feeling this was going to happen. She knelt down on her knees and took his hands gently in hers, "you know it was Ruby who saved me when I first got my armor."

He blinked through tears and felt a softness growing in his heart. There was something strange about her, "she did?"

"Ruby got her armor when she was way young," Meri said squeezing his hands softly. She looked a little sad, "I don't know exactly how, but she grew up among armor users. It's the only life she ever knew and it hardened her heart. Well, a group of zealot armor bearers had found me just shortly after i had received my armor. I didn't even know the consequences of wearing it~! I thought I was like, y'know, a superhero~! I was incredibly naive and that group of armor bearers would have hurt me, and she saved my ass. Then subsequently kicked it herself. She's a very cynical, glass half empty sort, but even though we were just 'asked' to save you. Doesn't mean we don't care."

He nodded softly and she reached up to wipe his eyes, "you have no armors, but you see through my glamour. That's odd."

"Glamour," he asked wiping them on the sleeve of his new jacket.

"Inherent trait of my armor I'm afraid," she said with a shrug and stuck a thumb at Shu, "he'll shake it off once he eats some proper food. Basically, I'm very charismatic."

"I'll say," Touma complained with a blush and crossing his arms.

She winked at him, "nope, you just think I'm cute."

Shu gulped his food down and barked out a laugh, "he aint the only one."

Meri laughed as White Blaze nuzzled her. She scratched the cat's head and Yuli chuckled, "see?"

Yuli nodded as Touma grabbed some coats for others. He tried to hide his blush and asked "so, do you know why the armors are stone?"

Shu munched down another bar, "it's incredibly inconvenient."

"I don't know that," she shrugged and gave Yuli a small hug. She sighed and looked at them both, "but Cap Ceru might know."

"Who," asked Yuli as White Blaze scooped him up by wiggling between his legs. The young man laughed and scratched his head softly. Been a while since he rode the amazing animal, and to his surprise, he still felt incredibly small on the creature's back.

"PACK," Meri said as she started walking back towards the food court was. "They're kind of like the Robin Hood and Thieves of the armors. Knows a lot, and is super wise. Ruby hates it when I call them, because she hates owing people, but i don't really see another way out of this. The idea is to get you guys to PACK, get your armors fixed, fight the witch, and then be on our merry way."

"Sounds simple," Touma said crossing his arms. "Can't be that easy?"

"We have no idea when they're gonna get here," Meri sighed and shrugged looking at them. "But in the meantime, you boys get to hang with us."

"That's not so bad," Shu nodded.

"But the Witch might send more monsters," Meri said with frustrated grunt and crossing her arms. They entered the dining area and Ruby looked up at her with burning eyes. Meri gulped, it meant that there was Akuma close. Or something else…., "Ruby….what are you feeling…"

The windows suddenly cracked and cold wind swept in. White Blaze growled at the sound of high heels on the tiled floor. There was clapping hands, "well….well...if it isn't my two favorite attack dogs."

The snow began to clear and showed a woman standing in front of them. She was taller than any of the guys with long dark hair and brilliant icy blue eyes. She had a strong jaw, and strong curvy form of which she accented her clothes. Her incredible bust was pushed up by her corset top, pushing her paw print tattoos together. Along her clavicle there was a crescent moon tattoo with swirling designs tracing her collar bone. Up her neck to the side of her strong jaw were stars, hiding behind the collar of her leather jacket and wild bangs. Her gray denim pants look like she had been poured into them with a belt that matched her hat, they sat low on her hips, showing her swirling tattoos that came over each hip. Her boots were heeled, and came up to her knees, and were tipped with metal toes. She smiled as she looked over the men and then back at the girls.

Ruby growled, "why don't you just go back to frozen hell?"

"Oh, but what fun would that be," she laughed as she walked in more. Ryo's eyes realized there was the small woman trailing behind the other. She was even tinier compared to the cowgirl, even more than he remembered. Tiny and small, and frail with big blue eyes and pale skin.

Ryo growled and then looked at the small woman, "we don't even have the armors you made us."

The small woman flinched at his words and looked up at the Witch who summoned an axe made of crystal, pointing it at him, "don't talk to her if you don't want to lose your tongue."

Ruby cracked her knuckles, "remember what happened last time you tried this, Witch?"

"I won," she smiled at Ruby with laugh, "or do those scars serve no purpose?"

"Can't we just be reasonable about this," Meri said coming between Ruby and the woman, "I mean their orbs have turned to stone. They can't even use their armors, or take sides…"

"What doesn't make sense to me is why are you coming after us," Seiji interrupted Meri as he stood up. He was unflinched by the cold as he pulled on the coat, "after all, the bounty is on us. That one there made our armors, so why would you want the bounty?"

The small woman squeaked and hid behind the Witch, "oooooooh, they're more clever than I realized. Unlike, you two 'dogs'. See? That really nasty old spirit, Suzunagi i think her name is, was clever witch herself. She wanted release of her binds to this world, and did anything in her power to make that happen. Doesn't matter how, but there are monsters after my Queen, and they track her through you. So….you all must die."

The witch slammed the axe into the ground, cracking it open and icy Akuma began to climb out. She grinned with glowing blue eyes as she looked up, "so what's it gonna be, quick and painless? Or slow and ripped to shreds?"

Meri threw open her compact and was instantly in armor. Slamming the creatures back with her staff, "you and Ruby fought last time. Not me and you."

The witch grinned, "oohhhhh….I like the idea of that."

"Lee," the small woman whimpered tugging on her jacket.

Ruby flared up flames at the icy Akuma lunging at them. Burning them off as White Blaze bounded at them, ripping into them and tearing them into snowy pieces. Those pieces reformed and lunged for the men. Ryo punched through one as Shu grabbed one by the tail and threw into a wall. Shin threw one into a kick from Touma, shattering it into snow. It reformed and lunged for Yuli, Seiji taking a chair and slamming it back to its female master.

Meri lunged at the woman with her spear being blocked by the crystal axe. They began to clash and the ground began to shake. The small woman hiding behind stepped back and pressed against the wall. She squeezed her hands together and slid down the wall as she watched. This is not what she wanted. Not what she wanted at all. The men who fought her Akuma did not look like vicious warriors who were going to harm her. They looked like young men. Definitely not mighty warriors who defeated Arago. They were nothing like the Warlords, and definitely nothing like Saberstrike. She looked at them and shifted as she saw the young man among them. Wasn't he just a normal child? Her eyes began to sting and her heart began to hammer in her chest, there was way too much wrong about all of this.

Ruby moved with her flames, still too tired to summon her armor. Each flame bouncing back a creature to only have it reform and jump back at them. She glanced at Meri and the Witch, they moved with such speed. The witch wore no armor though.

Meri ducked under the axe and slammed the witch back with the butt of her staff. The witch laughed and slid back, a small trickle of blood running out of the corner of her mouth, "oh~! You're tougher than that one."

"Ruby let you live. I'm not the nice one here," she replied jabbing the blade at the woman. The woman dodged each one, and clashed her axe against the blade.

The Witch caught her blade with the curve of her axe and threw her back. She charged at the woman with her eyes glowing like a wild wolf. The curly haired goddess kicked her feet out from under her, "put on your armor and fight fair?"

"I don't need my armor to take your head," the witch said rolling away panting and charging at her.

The small woman dashed from her spot on the wall and slid between the witch and Meri. She held out her hands, "STOP IT!"

The woman stopped her blade millimeters from the small woman's face, "out of my way. This has to be done~!"

"No, there's gotta be another way," she cried as tears ran down her face. "It's not their fault, its MINE! They shouldn't die from my mistakes."

The Witch growled and dropped her axe. It crashed into the floor, cracking it open and the creatures disappeared. She pulled out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter, "I'll be outside getting a smoke if you need me."

Meri let her armor vanish and panted as she watched the tall woman walk back outside in the snow. She heard Ruby stomping towards them, "Ruby, don't~!"

Ruby already balled her fist and grabbed the small woman up by her blouse, "what in the ever loving hell is your fucking problem? Can't you think for yourself?"

The small woman looked at her with dark eyes, "you have every right to hate me…"

"You think," Ruby growled as Ryo came up.

"Hey," he said touching the fiery woman's shoulder. "Can't we talk this out?"

"You guys can," Ruby said letting her go with a growl. Her eyes glowing a deep orange as she walked off. Each step quaking the ground and Meri sighed looking after her friend. Shu came up and held out a hand, she took it this time and he pulled her up with ease.

The small woman bowed low, "this is all my fault."

"Obviously," said Touma as he walked up. "Is this who you saw?"

Ryo nodded and gave Touma a small glare. There were times when the man was downright scary brilliant, and then others he said the worst stuff.

Shin sighed as he came up behind them. He was looking over the small woman bowing low, "you remade our armors, then?"

She nodded.

Seiji growled, "so we're your scape goats then?"

"No," she squeaked looking up her eyes stained with tears. It was obvious the small woman was scared. Seiji looked at her, there were scars that were under the side of her face covered by her hair. Those scars ran down her neck and disappeared into her shirt. "Lee tends to be a very...ummmmm...solve things with violence sort."

Ryo held out a hand, "Ryo Sanada."

She blinked at him and looked at the young man who came up with the tiger. The tiger came forward and purred against her loudly as she held out a hand to shake his, "Hoshi….Hoshi Nakano."

"Ruby told us a bit about you," Shin said and Meri looked at him with a confused look. "Though…...this seems like there's more than what she said."

Hoshi nodded softly and looked down again, "Suzunagi told me that if I helped her make the armors again, that you all would help me get my son back."

Shu looked at the small woman with big eyes, almost in shock, "son?"

She nodded and continued to look at her shoes, "he was taken from me by a demon. He's to be the next King of Kings, and ...there are many armor bearers who do not want that. Suzunagi said that she would get you all to help me...but she lied….and instead has endangered you all and myself."

"Well, that's just grand," Shin grumbled and ran a hand through his hair.

Yuli asked, "you're a mom?"

She looked at him and smiled sadly.

"Guys, we have to help her," the young man insisted adamantly making Seiji raise a brow at such a statement.

"How in the world are we supposed to do that," Touma asked and showed her his henshin orb. "All of our armors are stone."

Hoshi blinked as she looked at it and reached out to touch it. There was a small spark and she started to bleed, "someone much stronger than I did that. Someone very ancient but I do not know who."

"Great," Meri grumbled and crossed her arms, "so what now? Huh? They continue run and hide while me and Ruby fight off the whole world because you naively believed someone from the other world was helping you without cause?"

The small woman looked at the curly haired woman with much sadness but then looked back at the ronins, "what we can do for now….is hide in the Nether Realm. The mortal armors can't pass through the gates, and the Old Gods won't do it themselves. It's not completely safe but there might be a way to restore armors there."

Ryo crossed his arms and looked her over again. When Ruby had described the Mikaboshi, he was imagining a demon much like Arago. Here was this tiny frail woman, who looked like even the slightest harsh word would make her fall apart. He couldn't rightly say all of them should follow him to help this woman but he hoped the others would as well, "well, I can't speak for the others anymore because it's been a very long time since we have all seen battle but I'll do my best to help you."

She slightly, her eyes welling with tears.

"My mama would whoop me if I didn't," Shu added with a shrug.

"Well, might be nice to figure out this world of armors as well," Touma added with a nod.

"Can't say i want to deal with armors without an armor, so," Seiji added, "it would be wise to help you out."

Meri looked at Shin who looked the most angry. His arms were crossed and brow furrowed, "it's crap that this has all happened. Again. But it's not like you're not hurt by any of this either, and I don't think any of us should have to live this life, but no one should have their son taken away and be used to manipulate you into doing something so extreme."

Meri sighed, "I guess I'm tagging along."

"You don't have to," Hoshi said ever so softly to the woman as she put her curls back into place.

"No, I don't but sitting back and not getting involved is what caused things to get bad last time," she said as she tied a bow tight and twirled her curls into place. "Maybe we can get Ruby and Lee to talk again?"

Hoshi nodded, "i can hope. You want to talk to her while i explain to Lee?"

"Yeah, she's not gonna be too happy though," she said as hopped off to find the fiery woman.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Once Upon a Another Time

Lee quietly smoked her cigarette as the snow fell. It was easier just to get rid of them and not deal with the ramifications of previous actions. Hoshi was a bleeding heart though, and she should have figured that the small woman wouldn't let her get her hands dirty. Wouldn't be the first time that she got her hands dirty, but it would have been one of the easiest. It would have been like fish in a barrel, or taking candy from a baby. She dragged her cigarette long and hard with frustration and let the smoke out of her nose.

The door opened and out walked the Raven haired man, "you don't look like much of a Witch."

"Observation noted," she said rolling her eyes and flicking the ashes away. "But who says I won't freeze you and make a statue of you, then put you in my garden?"

"That's in Narnia."

"Oh, well, at least you're well read," she smirked as she breathed some smoke at him.

Ryo waved the smoke away, "besides you don't seem like the sort."

"I don't," she balked throwing her head back and resting it against the wall. He watched her with his wild eyes, if she had to name them, she would say his eyes were like his tiger's.

"Not if you're protecting her that much and willing to go to that extreme," he said seriously and she turned her wolf like eyes to him. They were a striking blue set against her tan skin. It was hard not to fall into them.

She stood up straight and cracked her back, "she doesn't deserve this fate anymore than any of us do."

"What is your armor?"

She smiled and laughed and poked his face, "you know nothing, huh?"

"Enlighten me," he said pushing her finger away and giving her a stern look.

She adjusted her large breasts in her corset top and leaned down to look him in his blue eyes with hers. She reached up and turned his face each way with slender fingers, "you have the eyes of a tiger."

He laughed and pulled away, "your flirting is not gonna sway my answer."

She snorted and ran a hand through her hair, "help me protect her, and I will do more than enlighten you."

Ryo felt his cheeks flush from her words. Her sensuality was something he hadn't experienced before and his heart was in his throat. She was something else with those plump breasts pressed up in his face. He stepped back, "fine, but you get along with the other girls."

She grinned ear to ear and whispered in his ear softly, "for a treat like you? MMMMM. I'll try."

He pulled back again and walked back inside. His heart hammering and his face red. He looked at the small woman who had been waiting for him. She seemed very hopeful and trusting of him. Such a tiny frail thing that he couldn't believe was a mom, "she's...something…"

"Isn't she though," she laughed and took his hand in her two tiny ones. Her hands were so cold and felt so soft. "I'm sorry about the Akuma…."

He smiled softly and bowed low.

"Don't bow," she said awkwardly and he stood up straight. "I know she called me Queen, but its not really something I like or deserve to be called."

"Alright."

"What armor do you wear," she asked looking up at him with big eyes.

"I am Rekka," he said with a nod as White Blaze came up again to her and purred loudly against her. The tiger was almost as big as she was when Ryo looked at them side by side.

She smiled and pet the tiger, "I have to say that yours was easiest to make. It was like the fire was waiting to be stirred and ready to come back to you."

Yuli walked up next, "you can talk to the armors?"

She shook her head, "but i could feel what they feel when I made them."

"Oh," he mumbled, "I'm Yuli. Have you met the others?"

She shook her head softly, her hair bouncing softly as the four men came up. Ryo smiled at them, "guys, this is Hoshi Nakano."

She bowed, "I wish it had been better circumstances."

Shu sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Shu Rei Faun, armor of Kongo."

She looked up quickly and laughed, "oh yes. That one took some time to get right. It wanted to be so strong."

Touma smiled down at her, "Hashiba, Touma. I have the armor of Tenku."

"Hm," she said giving him smile, "I quite liked that one. You wouldn't happen to be the son of…."

"Yeah," he nodded with a blush.

"Oh that would make sense," she nodded as she thought back to what seemed like a better time. "Genichirou gave a lecture at Stanford once."

She looked to Seiji, "you must be Seiji Date, and you probably hold Korin."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

She laughed ever so softly which made her tiny cheeks pink, "my parents know yours. And Korin...seems like a Date clan thing."

Seiji shrugged and realized the Nakano family were American ambassadors, "you are not wrong. You're a Nakano...you're the missing daughter of Yuki and Hikaru, the American dignitaries."

She nodded quietly and shrunk down some.

He thought for a moment and crossed his arms. The missing daughter of an old family was the bearer of an old and terrible armor, and looking for her son. If she had an armor, how many families had armors already besides the Date clan?

She looked past him and smiled at Shin who seemed less than excited to talk to her, "you have Suiko then?"

He nodded quietly and looked off.

"Your name?"

He looks at her with solemn eyes. This was the woman who made his life hell again, but he couldn't just hate her. He couldn't hate her no more than he hated Suzunagi. He had pity for the spirit who played with their lives but he couldn't tell what he had for the small woman. He gulped, "Shin Mauri."

She nodded, "your armor...came back for Suzunagi. Not for me."

"Figures," he said with a shrug and looking off. How close had she been to that spirit? That was a clear concern in the back of his mind.

She nodded at his comment and bowed low to all of them, tears running down her face. Shu sighed and lifted her face, "hey, don't cry, shortie. There's no reason to cry. We're all stuck in this crazy mess together."

She looked up at him and nodded as she saw Meri pulling Ruby along to talk to her. Yuli left them and went over to the two women, "are you guys gonna help us?"

Ruby glanced up at the small woman and nodded, seemingly disgruntled by the small woman's appearance, "as much as I can."

"Yes," Meri answered with a nod and rubbed his head. Messing up his hair.

Lee came inside quickly as she threw her cigarette down and stomping on it, "time to pack up Puppies and Kittens….we have trouble."

"Trouble," asked Ryo as Hoshi hid behind him a bit. She grabbed onto his jacket and he looked down at her. She was terrified at the sound of it. How could such a small woman even hope to fight against anything. He wasn't going to let armor bearers hurt such a small thing.

"Templar," Lee growled as lightning struck through the sky.

Ruby sighed and looked at Hoshi who shrank even further behind Ryo, "this is going to be fun. Every group of assholes is going to try and kill them."

Ryo looked back at Hoshi again and then to Ruby, "look, you being upset and mad at her is one thing but have it out when you two have a chance to talk about it but until then, don't make her feel worse than she already does."

Hoshi squeezed the warrior's jacket and buried her face in the back of it to hide her foolish tears. She knew how Ruby felt about everything. Ruby was there when she met Matthew and also told her how foolish she was. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Touma smile at her to comfort her. She squeezed his hand and felt it. His armor was close to hers in element and she could feel its comfort. She smiled back and he nodded as more lightning began to strike and followed by rain as the sky turned black.

Meri sunk back, "oh crap…"

"Well, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting these new warriors," said a soft female voice as the rain continued to fall. She was dressed in a catholic nun's habit that was white and red. She looked up with burning eyes, "long time no see, heathens."

"Can we cut it with the heathen crap," Ruby growled at the woman who had burning purple eyes. There was an orb set in a large cross on her neck, and in her hands a bible that was covered in a white metal with a red cross through it.

"But i speak the truth," she smiled at Ruby who's eyes glowed red.

"Is this who you meant was devout," Ryo asked of the fiery woman and glanced back at the small woman who was clinging to him. Not like he could actually fight for her, but she found comfort in him it seemed.

"Yeah," Ruby growled as Lee stepped between the group

.

Lee's breasts bounced incredibly as she stepped in front of Ryo and winked at him. He turned scarlet as she said, "keep my munchkin safe, okay boys? I might reward you with something fabulous if you do. "

Hoshi whined, "Lee…."

Ryo cleared his throat as Shu elbowed him with a grin, "keep your cool."

"Are you all done saying your goodbyes," the nun snickered as she touched her cross and was in a silver armor trimmed in blood red. Made the small woman look even taller as her bible turned into a sword, scripture written down the edge of the blade.

Touma growled, "care to introduce yourself?"

"I'm Raya, Holy Knight of God," she answered with bow.

Seiji almost laughed, and Shin elbowed him hard to shut him up. He pushed Yuli behind him and asked Meri, "she delusional?"

"All Templars have a screw or two loose," she nodded as she hugged his arm. He looked down at her. There was this bright spunky woman trembling at this other arm. "That's Raya, _Mors Sanctorum,_ The Holy Death. If we're dogs, she's a wolf."

"Good to know that the bumbling, false goddess cowers," the woman laughed as lightning cracked. The air began to get heavy and the sound of popping against the windows began making Hoshi shake as she hugged Ryo tighter.

Touma looked at the glass windows, "bugs…"

Yuli hugged Meri as White Blaze growled at the woman, "locusts?"

Lee then looked at Hoshi with serious eyes and ordered, "get going. I don't mind dealing with a Templar Dog, I took out the old death. I can beat crap out of her for the sins of her fathers against my people."

"Your people should have bowed," the woman growled slamming her sword forward.

Lee summoned her axe and snow surrounded her in a wild whip of wind molding into a ferocious armor bigger than the nuns. Unlike the Templar's it looked old, and was covered in dings and cuts. The armor almost seemed shinier because of the damage, if not proud of it. It had wide shoulders, and a wolf shaped head, with a long flowing fur cape. It looked almost…

"She's a viking," Touma said in shock looking over the armor markings.

Hoshi tugged on Ryo's hands, "we have to go."

"Will she be okay," he asked her genuinely.

"She can take care of herself," Ruby answered as she started walking towards the interior of the mall. "Hoshi, which way?"

The small woman nodded and let go of Ryo and followed after the fiery woman, "i can open the gate outside."

The group started to move as the Viking and the Templar leaped at each other. Their heavy blades clanging as they slammed them repeatedly into each other. The ground and building shook as lightning cracked and thunder roared. The snow whipped up as lightning struck through the building cracking it open. The two slammed weapons, causing the ground to quake.

Lee grinned down at her, "well, you've gotten better."

"You're still just a witch, we used to burn witches," Raya laughed as the clashed again and again. Sparks flew from each clash, "we used to burn witches. Now we just behead them~!"

Lee pulled her axe back, "well, then i better summon my demons."

She slammed it into the ground, and it split with an ear splitting crack. The crack ran up under Raya who jumped out of the way of it as the creatures from earlier began to climb out of the deep fischer forming. She smirked as she swung her sword at one that lunged at her, beheading it instantly, "you think your pathetic dogs are gonna beat me?"

"No, but it will sure them time," she smirked and charged the religious warrior.

The nun cut through the dogs and Lee jumped up, swirling her axe above her head as she came down up the upon the Templar.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Castle in the Sky

The back entrance to the mall opened as the rag tag group of young adults, teenager, and himalayan tiger ran out to the snow. The sky was dark with locusts and black clouds. The sky then cracked with a sharp bolt of lightning, and the air whipped around them hard. Far in the distance, there was a dark castle floating in the clouds. Ryo stopped with serious eyes, "it can't be…"

"The dark castle," Hoshi said shrinking back and she wrapped her arms around herself. She bumped into Touma, who lightly touched her shoulders and she looked up at him with her steel blue eyes. She gulped, "if I open the gate now, we'll end up in their territory."

"We fought them once," Touma assured, "Arago is no more. The warlords are kind...errr...kinder than they once were~!."

Ruby interrupted with a sharp look at Hoshi, "its that or get crucified by little Miss Muffet."

Hoshi sunk back further against was quite a past with the ferocious woman. They were once friends, and those days were long gone, but it didn't mean she didn't miss her. She bit her lip, she made so many mistakes, and seemed to keep making them. Her heart was in her throat and her hands clenched.

Ryo knelt down in front of the small woman. He had a soft face as he touched her arm, "why are you so afraid of them? They would never hurt someone as nice as you."

She shook her head, her soft silver hair cascading across her face, "they want me dead, as much the Templars want you dead."

"I promise, we won't let them hurt you," Shin said with assurance, and smiling at her.

There was something about these men she could trust that she hadn't felt with other armors. Is it because she remade them? There were the first full armors she used her powers for. When she first had her amor, she only made weapons. The armors took so much of her heart to make and being near them gave her a better idea of the men she was with. They were definitely men she could trust.

Meri locked the door behind them, "either way, we need out of this realm before another Templar shows up. She's the munchkin of them, and in not a cute way either~!"

Hoshi nodded and took a deep breath. She stepped forth and touched the gem on her hand to the gem on her neck, and they lit up a dark blue light. Her eyes filled with the same darkness and she held out the hand. Snow fell around her whipped up in a flurry as she moved her other hand up to the first one, and the pushed them apart. There was a loud crack of lightning and door hundreds of feet tall appeared. She closed her eyes and wobbled, White Blaze running up and catching her in such a way she fell on his back.

The ground quaked hard and Meri skipped to the giant door pushing it open with ease, "nope, not waiting to see who's its Lee, she'll meet up with us with when she can~!"

Shu snorted and walked after her, "and they say I leap without looking."

"It's more like you drive off a cliff," Seiji said rolling his eyes and sauntering with the others through the doorway. Shu waited til the whole group was on the other side before shoving the doors shut. "Well, we haven't been here for a while."

Ruby looked around and saw the endless sky of stars reflected in a vast dark ocean that only came up to her knees. It was just the ever slightest bit of cold and she felt her armor starting to wake up. It growled deep down in the back of her mind and she pinched her nose as a headache filled her head with its anger. It didn't like being here.

Yuli tugged on her jacket, "you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied and caught Shin's worried eyes.

Meri stood on tiptoe, "soooooo which way?"

"I honestly don't remember which way we came last time," Shu said scratching his head and crossing his arms.

Touma walked past him and sighed as the tiger with the small woman on its back followed him, "this way. This was easier with horses."

Meri hopped after him, "so you all have been here before?"

"Yeah, its the Nether Realm," Ryo said she splashed him some with her hops. He smiled at her, she was rather charming. "Have you guys not been here before?"

"No," She answered as she hopped past Seiji. She splashed him hard and he grimaced at her, but sort of smirked at the same time. "Never a reason to. Most of our baddies were humans who delved into dangerous magic."

Ruby was splashed by Meri's hopping and added, "it is kind of an unspoken rule to not tread in the realms of demons or gods. The armors feed the energies here, for better or worse, it makes them battle hungry."

"That explains that," Shin sighed as he slowly followed behind the group. Meri hopped past him and splashed him, he snorted and splashed her back some. She was incredibly light hearted and he enjoyed her strange smart naivety.

Touma looked down at Hoshi, "is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Ruby answered with a nonchalant shrug. "Her armor drains her just like mine does. They say the Mikabushi needs a harem of armors to feed its energy consumption."

"Harem," Touma blushed red and Meri hopped past, splashing a large wave of water over him while she giggled. He looked at her with drenched hair and she just smiled brightly ear to ear.

"Yeah, Harem," Ruby added with a laugh.

"That's very adult," Seiji added with a snicker and looked at Touma. Who scowled at him back. "You should cool off."

Touma kicked some water at his friend as the castle started to come in the distance. Yuli stayed close to Ruby. It was the stuff so many of his young nightmares were made up of. He had dreams of being lost in its endless mazes, falling from the highest point into a courtyard of demons with spears pointed up, thrown in the darkest of dungeons. Ruby looked down at him and rubbed his head, "demons are no joke."

He nodded.

"We fought this demon once. Well, he had been human, but got involved in some ancient lore and eventually succumbed to the materials he had collected. Crazy beast, like thirty feet tall in downtown San Francisco," Ruby said reaching a hand up super tall.

"Don't forget the scorpion tail," Meri said as she switched skipping around them. She had an amazing sort of peppiness, that despite her anxiety and worry, was easy for her to show.

"Oh, right, scorpion tail that could spit acid," Ruby laughed as he looked at her with big eyes. "We had him cornered at the bay bridge and drove him into the ocean."

Yuli smiled at her, "so you guys are like superheroes, huh?"

Meri stopped as the comment hit her, "Ruby~! See~!"

"No, we're not superheroes," Ruby growled at her and she pouted like a kicked puppy.

"I don't know. You two saved San Francisco quite a few times," Hoshi said as she sat up on White Blaze who roared in agreement with her. She smiled at Ruby who continued to glower at her, "still don't know how you chased that dragon down."

"I lured it with chocolate," Meri exclaimed brightly.

"You what," Touma asked of her.

"Well, dragons like gold and chocolate gold look like gold," she exclaimed happily and Ruby pinched her nose again.

Ryo laughed softly and looked at Hoshi. She looked exhausted from opening the gates. He looked ahead the castle. He expected the Warlords would have noticed them by now and have met them far outside the gates of the castle. He pushed on the castle gate as they came up, and it easily swung open. The air was much colder as the ocean gave way to land and the group entered the castle grounds. Seiji shrunk down some, Shu was tense, and Shin was trying not to stay too far behind. They had been tortured here, he wasn't surprised that they didn't want to be here. Meri noticed Shu's body language and hugged his arm, he looked down at her and pat her shoulder, "not very fond memories here."

She nodded and hugged his arm quietly.

Touma looked at Hoshi as she looked around some, "how long have you been in the Nether Realm?"

"About a year, Lee likes to stay here as well, she has her lands to the North. Beyond all the demon lands where no bothers us. It's quiet there and no armor bearers both me," she said running her hands through White Blaze's fur.

She looked so melancholic as she spoke. Touma couldn't help but wonder what weighed her down so much. He glanced at Ruby, who seemed indifferent, and Meri who was smothering Shu with hugs. What came between those three? He wouldn't ask now as he noted, "where's the bucket heads?"

Seiji nodded quietly.

White blaze growled low and Meri looked at the tiger, "he says that no one is here."

"No one," Shin repeated and the tiger huffed.

Meri nodded slowly and looked around herself, starting to get anxious. Shu put an arm around her, even though he was fairly certain she was more useful than he was right now, but she needed the reassurance. She smiled up at him, "thank you."

He nodded.

Shin raised an eyebrow at Shu who blushed and gave him a weird look as Shin added, "wonder what scares a warlord."

"That," Yuli softly whispered.

The group turned a corner. Ruby was stopped in front of them, Yuli hugging her as they saw three perfectly sculpted statues of men in ferocious looking armor. She looked back at them and raised a brow, "I'm assuming these are your Warlords?"

Ryo got close the statues, there was insane amount of detail in each one, "are they…"

Hoshi nodded as she slowly climbed off the tiger, "it would make sense that if your armors turned to stone, perhaps they would as well if they were in theirs at the same time."

"Where's Lady Kayura," Touma asked as he helped Hoshi down and looked around. There was a light in room far above them. He raised a brow, "possibly there?"

Ryo looked at Touma, "let's go check it out."

"I'm going with you," Ruby insisted and cracked her knuckles. She felt fired up, being in the Nether Realm wasn't giving her a bunch of unresolved energy coursing through each muscle. "There might be a demon i can burn this energy off on."

Hoshi tugged on Ryo's arm gently, "I should come too."

The man with wild hair nodded, "Guys, stick with Meri."

Meri saluted with a grin, "I will protect them with my life."

Shu looked down at her, "you okay?"

"I've never felt so much energy from armor in my life," she squealed brightly and hopping around. Seiji and Shin gave each other a look as Shu laughed at her sweetness.

"Oh boy," Shin said rubbing a hand through his hair.

Ryo scooped up Hoshi and jumped up to the roof as she squeaked. Ruby and Touma followed behind him as he hopped up to the floor with a balcony, close to the window. He set Hoshi down and saw White Blaze bounce up after them, and she smiled. That cat was something else. Ryo opened the balcony door cautiously, keeping Hoshi behind him. Instinctively, he just felt he should protect her, whether it was because of the armor or because she was so small he hadn't yet figured out. Ruby moved close with Touma as he pushed open the door slowly. It creaked softly but the room glowed softly with yellow light. Touma stepped in, "Lady Kayura?"

White Blaze jumped onto the balcony and followed Touma in with a growl as Ruby stepped in as well. She looked around and her eyes glowed as her armor stirred. The room was fairly dark despite the glow from the otherside of it. It was soft yellow glow but yet it was bright enough to obscure what was behind the glow. Hoshi followed Ryo closely, keeping a grip on his sweater as she walked with him in the room. Her heart hammering into her chest as she let him go and stepped towards the glow. She knew this power, and tears streamed from her eyes as she walked closer and saw a stone statue of a woman in a kimono. She almost looked like a doll frozen in time reaching for a golden staff that laid before the statue reaching for it. Her fingers only a hair away from reaching it and her armored orb in the other. It was the Ancient One's staff.

White Blaze sauntered up and laid in front of the woman and the staff, nudging his nose against it into her hand. The staff touched her stone hand and slowly her skin began to appear from when she touched it. More and more appeared along her arm as her clothes began to soften and take shape. Her hair cascaded into place and her started to glitter. She grabbed the staff and whirled around pointing it at them. The woman had skin like milk and hair like twilight blue sky. Her face was filled with the anger only battle could fill it with, but it changed to a soft expression of shock as she realized who stood behind her. She stared at them with big confused eyes, "Ronins?"

Touma knelt down to her, "Lady Kayura~!"

She clenched the orb in her hand and looked over the two men, the tiger, and the two women. Her eyebrows narrowed a bit at Hoshi who was closest to her, "you."

Hoshi backed up some, "Lady Kayura…."

The woman grabbed her staff firmly, "you dare show your face here?"

Ryo came between them, "hey, chill. She's trying to help us."

Kayura kept quiet and turned her angry eyes to the other woman, "and her?"

"I'm Ruby of the Kagutschi," she paused looking over the woman who had just woken up and crossed her arms as she pulled Hoshi to her.

Kayura nodded and looked to Ryo, "the demon that the Mikaboshi woke is the turned us to Stone."

Hoshi sunk behind Ruby, looking at Kayura with sad and scared eyes. She was shaking some as White Blaze came up and purred against her leg. She looked down, "the Queen of Thorns took my child."

Kayura blinked and lowered her staff, "a child?"

"He's the next King," she whispered meekly and holding onto Ruby.

"I've heard of your lover, King Arthur's, demise," she said and dlooking to Ryo and Touma. She seemed to know a lot more about the Mikabushi's situation than her silence was letting on. "It would seem you all have been involved in a much larger scale of armors now. Especially, if you brought these two along with you."

Ryo nodded and heard Meri yelp, he exchanged looks with Touma and looked out to see the three other Warlords out of their armors standing across from Meri, Yuli, and three Ronins. The leader of the ronins felt a warmth in his pocket, a long forgot warmth as White Blaze came up and nudged it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the orb that burned so hotly. Touma pulled his from his pocket as well and looked back at Kayura, "were they stone because you all were stone?"

"The armors were all made from Arago, even if yours have been remade, they share that bond still," she concluded walking to the balcony. "It is possible why you weren't all turned to stone like we were."

Ruby yanked her arm away from Hoshi who sunk back again. Touma caught her sinking back and walked back towards her. He didn't know what happened with her and Ruby completely, but he could hardly fathom such coldness from a friendship breaking. Was there more to it then? She seemed like a such a fragile broken thing. He held out a hand to her and she squeezed it softly following him back over.

Meri yelled up with wave, "I don't know what you guys did, but they're fiiiiixed~!"

A man with mossy green hair leaned into Meri's ear, "aren't you a spunky one…"

She squeaked as her face turned scarlet and she hid behind Shin who laughed, "his bite is worse than his bark."

"That's not very comforting," she hissed at him and hugged Shin tight.

The man rattled a laugh as he stood up straight in his ornate red and green armor. He let it vanish and she blushed at seeing the man with fluffy green hair standing before them. His eyes were sharp and his features pointed. He wore a just his dark subarmor, as the other two armored warlords let their armors vanish. The one i black subarmor was tall and seemed to glow with darkness. He had broad shoulders and short wild wavy dark hair. He also had deep blue eyes with a cross like scar over the left one. The one in the brown subarmor was smaller man than the others with long wavy silver hair. He looked at her with one good beatie eye, the other covered by a patch. He look up at the green haired man, "Naaza, be more polite to the ladies. She is not a brute like Lady Kayura."

Kayura looked down at them, "come up here and say that to my face, spider~!"

"See my point," he snickered making the other two dark men laugh. He slid forward, Yuli backing up behind Seiji. He smiled at the boy, "you've grown quite a bit as well."

He nodded, still wary of the men who plagued his dreams with nightmares.

The spider looked over the small woman who hid behind Shin and looked at him from behind his other shoulder, "hi….."

"We're not beasts, I apologize for Naaza's ...bluntness," he paused to look back at the green haired man. "I am Rajua. The one who flirted with you is Naaza, and that's Anubis."

Naaza grinned making Meri blush and Anubis winked making her turn scarlet. Seiji gave her an annoyed look and cleared her throat. She jumped from behind Shin and bowed, her curly hair bouncing wildly with her, "I'm Meri Nguyen. Armor bearer of the Amaterasu No Mikoto."

The three new men looked at her for a moment in quiet and Anubis smirked, "well, we have a new Goddess of the Sun. That's just lovely."

Ruby jumped down from the balcony and landed near Meri. The ground quaking under her feet, her eyes glowing a bit red, "and I'm Kagutsuchi."

"Impressive," Rajura hissed and looked up at Ryo, "you all have befriended the two most annoying god armors there are~!"

Hoshi looked around Ryo, and hugged his arm softly with one of hers while still holding Touma's hand. Kayura looked at them and snorted before saying, "look, and we have the Amatsu Mikaboshi~!"

The small woman squeaked and hid behind Ryo some.

Anubis narrowed his brow and jumped up the balcony. She hid behind Ryo even more as the dark man looked her over, "this is the one who's causing so much disruption in the treatices? She's just a child~!"

"I'm 27," she snapped from behind the curly haired man. White Blaze growled at Anubis who just started laughing.

He held his belly as he continued to laugh obnoxiously, "you are a fully grown adult woman?"

She came up and stomped on his foot with her stiletto heel, "listen here you jerk~! I understand this is all my fault, and I may not look like it, but I'm the Amatsu Mikaboshi. I'm looking for my son, and trying to stop the world of armors from coming down on your Ronin allies~!"

He snickered, not feeling any pain from her action, "well...she's better than the last one."

"More or less," Kayura shrugged and looked at Hoshi. "Where's the Witch?"

"She's holding off the Templars," Ryo answered and looked at his orb. "We should go back and help her."

"Templars," Anubis said with dark look at Kayura.

Kayura shook her head, "the Templars are just as old and dangerous as Arago. You go back without knowing your enemy, you will not succeed, if she didn't. It's best if you all rest, and then we can put our pieces together."

Hoshi hugged her, "so you'll help me?"

"Yeah," Kayura said prying her off slowly, "I'm going to take a bath. Being stuck as statue has left me feeling not so lovely."

"Nice to see she's grumpy as ever," Touma laughed as Hoshi came back to hold his hand. Anubis raised an eyebrow at them and laughed as he walked into the castle. He blushed some realizing how it looked. He was just trying to comfort the small woman in way he could. White Blaze was nuzzling her leg.

Ryo leaned over the bannister, "looks like we're crashing for a bit guys~!"

Meri was hiding about Shu now because Naaza was enjoying giving her creepy smiles as Ryo called down to them. Yuli complained, "dude, just stop that's incredibly creepy."

"Dude," Naaza asked with a raised brow confused.

"Enough, Naaza," Rajura laughed and smiled at Meri who stuck out her tongue childishly at him. Why were bearers of the Amaterasu always so childish?

"Meri," Ruby growled at her.

Shu laughed, "well, this is going to be fun."

"For you all, maybe," Seiji said walking past them and into the castle. His arms were crossed, and he was more than annoyed with their playful bickering.

"Come, let me show you all around," Rajura said walking in front of them smirking at Seiji's annoyance. "He never could lighten up."

"Was that supposed to be a joke," Shin asked crossing his arms and Shu clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Ah, lighten up buddy, we should keep things in the past," Shu said softly, Yuli listening to them as they talked.

"Easy for you," Shin said shrugging him off. Shu was easy to anger, easy to violence, but was also very easy to forgive. As far he knew, Shu didn't struggle with all the things they did after defeated Arago. He had other things he seemed to worry about, but always had a good smile on his face. He just could not read his mind, but was glad when Shu would decide to open up to him. However, Shu was opening up to him less and less and that worried him about their friendship. Did he say something that made Shu mad at him at last? He wouldn't blame him, considering how selfish he seemed to continuously act. It's not like he didn't want to help his friends, or save the world, he just felt like crap that it had to be him. He had no choice in the matters of life and death for humanity, and it weighed on his heart and mind. At times, were they really better than the Warlords?

Meri looked at Shin, and then at Ruby, "should we take off?"

Ruby shook her head, "they'll just put a hit out on us."

"So obligatory alliance," she said softly and saw Rajura look back at them. She was no traitor to any alliance she had ever been in, but she had finals coming up, and still needed to study her human anatomy courses.

"Yes," Ruby answered bluntly.

"Alright then," Meri nodded as Rajura walked them through the main castle door. Where Seiji had gone, she had no idea. But she also needed to figure out how to control all of the energy she was buzzing with. She looked at Ruby, the other small woman must have felt just as much energy. Oh, but Ruby was filled with anger and chaos, and Meri wondered how good of an idea it would be to stay for any extended period of time.

The castle was filled with long maze like corridors, some ending nowhere and some ending with traps. There were lovely polished wood floors in the main corridors, with stone walls, and ornate decorations of different mythological beings and creatures. Yuli hated this place, even though it was far evil looking, there was still that darkness that lingered in the air. He looked up at Shin, he was keeping his eyes straight. He then looked at Shu, he seemed to be spaced off in his own world. Meri seemed so pumped full of energy she was gonna start bouncing off the walls, and Ruby would bring the whole castle down if he upset her. He felt Naaza looking at him and shrunk back some. Naaza slid back some as well, "look, kid, I get it. This is not a fond place for you all."

Yuli looked at him with big eyes.

Naaza noticed Shin glance back, with angry eyes. There was something about that man that was incredibly good, but goodness of his sort was easily turned into anger. He sighed and said softly to the kid, "I'm not going to trivialize your experience, or tell you that you are wrong to feel the way you feel. It was war, you're entitled to your emotions, just don't let them prevent you from growing as human being."

Yuli nodded quietly.

Rajura led them into a dining hall where Seiji was waiting with the others. There was long table filled with food of all sorts and hot tea. Hoshi set between Touma and Ryo, closer to Touma. She was holding his hand softly in hers and Ruby wondered if it was because of the armors, or just because Touma was nice and wanted to comfort her. Seiji sat across from them next to Anubis, and both seemed very calm in each others presence. White Blaze was laying under the table with just his front half out next to Ryo. Yuli ran to sit next to Ryo and White Blaze, curiously glancing at Touma and Hoshi. Ruby sat next Yuli with Meri who seemed to having a hard time staying still as Shu and Shin sat across from them. Naaza and Rajura sat between Shin and Seji, Rajura nudging Naaza softly as he noticed Hoshi.

Rajura smiled at her, "you're the Mikaboshi then?"

She nodded quietly.

"Welcome to our dusty little castle," he smiled looking at Anubis with his good eye who just grinned back smugly. What was going on in that man's mind, he never knew. "I am Rajura, and this is Naaza."

"I know of you four very well, Lee would tell me about her skirmishes with you all," she answered softly and sinking close to Touma. The more she was near him, the more his armor comforted her. It's energy was so so similar to hers that she felt almost no fear of the four.

"Who," Naaza asked with a smirk.

"The White Witch," she restated realizing only her, the girls, and the Ronins knew the powerful woman's name.

Naaza nodded and smirked as he remember the voluptuous warrior clearly. What he wouldn't give to have another fight with her, both because she was great opponent and capable women were pleasurable thought for him, "oh the Viking …"

"Yes, her," Hoshi snipped seeing Rajura give Naaza a weird look.

"Anyways," Rajura interrupted knowing fairly certain that Naaza was daydreaming about the powerful warrior to the North. Arago had sent them plenty of times to defeat her, but she was just as strong and capable as the Lord himself. She was old though, older than them, and old Gods were always more dangerous. "We will eat, and relax today and tonight. Then tomorrow, we canl come together for a plan."

"That sounds wise," Kayura said as she walked in. There was an intrinsic beauty about the woman that was both mature and doll like. As Ryo looked at her, he realized that she looked older. Had she started to age? She sat down at the head of the table and noticed how close Hoshi was to Touma. She had heard about armors being attracted to each other, but she didn't dare state her feelings without knowing her too well. "Please enjoy this dinner prepared by the spirits for us."

With that the famished group of warriors began to eat silence, even though Meri was almost bouncing as she ate and Ryo gave White Blaze any scraps. Kayura couldn't help but think as she watched them that this was going to messy before anything was resolved. It already was, and if legends were true, they always were when the Mikaboshi awakened.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Dances with Warriors

(Side note, I'm very proud of this chapter. XD If you want the full "mature" scene. Let me know, I'll post it on one of my other sites. Trying to keep this one less mature.)

Dinner was great despite being stuck in the castle of an of an enemy they once faced. Kayura had taken Hoshi and the girls for baths, and Rajura had shown the guys their own baths as well. Ryo laid in bed restless after. So much on his mind as he looked at his transformation orb, it burned bright, and he could feel its hunger for battle. He had long learned to control it, but he wondered how the three women were doing. Hoshi seemed so fearful but he was certain that was more of a personal issue, but it was Meri and Ruby who was on his mind. Meri was almost bouncing off the walls by the end of the night, and Ruby just looked like she wanted to light one of the Warlords on fire if they said the wrong thing. He sat up and looked over to see Yuli snuggled with White Blaze and he smirked wishing Mia was there. Where was his old friend? Was she still alive? Was she involved in this strange new world of armors? He felt helpless without any answers and he got up, realizing only Seiji and Shin were actually asleep. Shu was staring out the window at the stars, and he had no idea where Touma had run off to.

Shu looked at him and quietly whispered, "be careful."

Ryo gave a curt nod and left the room, pulling his robe tight. He looked right and left, he had no idea where he was going, so he started down the hall. He came to the balcony and saw Ruby down in the courtyard. She was covered in sweat as she punched the air and rolled into kicks. He smiled, she sure was a brute like Shu when it came to fighting. He smiled down at her, "trying to burn off some energy?"

She looked up at him with burning eyes and summoned a ring of flames. She paused and smiled at him, and jumped back up, "I've never felt the armor so conscious."

He leaned on the banister and held out his orb. There was a fire dancing within, "mine is very battle hungry as well."

"So i guess them being stone was what caused your armors to turn to stone as well," she added and he nodded. She jumped up to the balcony and looked him over seriously with her flaming eyes, "What do you all think you're going to do? Stay here?"

"For now, I suppose," he said crossing his arms. "I would like to help Hoshi, I'm not so sure if the others do."

"Don't get involved with her," she warned and started to walk off.

He grabbed her wrist, "why?"

"Don't you see that wierd spell she has on Touma already," she said in low voice and turning back to face him. "Meri has that weird charm too, but not to her extent. Armors just bow to her."

Ryo looked at her with concern, "do you hate her for that?"

"What? No," she hissed and yanked her hand away.

"Then what?"

Ruby pinched her nose and growled, "look before she met met Mathieu, she was a normal girl going to school with us. She wanted to be a neurosurgeon, and she was great. She was almost ready to get a residency and helped tutor us, and spend more time with us on our work. Then he came into her life and things changed…"

Ryo nodded slowly as if he understood, there was quite a past to those three women. Friendships were always complicated even without armors, "and?"

"He was King Arthur. The Great King of armors in the North Americas," she paused as she thought. "We all thought she was a normal girl. Until she got pregnant."

"Oh."

"Yeah, that's when her amor showed up," she said kicked at the balcony floor. "For a while it was just demons and normal monsters coming after us, then it was other armor factions. We joined the Alliance, Mathieu's crew of armors, in order to protect her. Then there was a coup, orchestrated by that she devil the Queen of Thorns. He lost his life trying to get her to the Nether Realm, and I lost my hands to my rage. Meri couldn't heal my hands because she was trying to save lives, there were others hurt much more than I, and I lost my ability be a surgeon myself. Meri likes to pretend that I still will, but I have no range of motion delicate enough in my fingers."

He leaned back and nodded slowly, "so you hold that against her? Seems like a cruel fate for falling in love with someone."

"She should have listened to us and not got involved with him."

"Why," he asked, "you can't blame her for falling in love."

"Falling in love is fine when the person isn't King Arthur," she said clenching her fists. "The bearers of that armor always fall to a coup. It's his amors fate, some armors are fated to do certain things. If her son is the next King Arthur, then that demon has plenty of use for him when he grows up. She can take claim of the Alliance armors, the largest segment of armors, and use them to the destroy the Earth."

"Did you tell her this?"

"How would you tell someone their significant other happens to be King Arthur and they will be dragged into warfare of ancient matters," she huffed. "I would have sounded crazy. It's only lucky, I guess, that she happens to be the Mikaboshi."

"How so, I thought you said she undid the balance?"

"Yes. But that was going tip on somebody's side no matter what. Soon or later," Ruby said looking out at the sky and rubbed her bandaged hands. "She remade your amors, and i think it's actually a step in the right direction."

"Us?"

"Because, among the armor bearers, you were blessed by the Ancient One with virtues," she smirked. "You were meant for good, not war, despite how the armors rebel against them."

Ryo was so confused by her words, they didn't really seem to cover why she was actually mad at the small woman. "Why are you really mad?"

She blinked.

"Really, none of that makes sense for you to be mad at her for. If anything, you would be there for her even more."

Ruby looked him over and decided that she needed to be open with this man. He trusted her with his life up until this point, that was least she could do, "sometimes people love what they can't have."

"You love her?"

"Loved," she said quietly and went to stand near him. She ran her hands over each other, "she's...not the person I once loved though. That person was confident, charismatic, charming. When I saved her, I had to choose between saving her and saving him. That's how she has all the same burns on her i do. I put a wall of fire between them and watching her break, I could never forgive myself. I'm not at her, I'm mad at myself, and sad that she will never be the same."

Ryo listened quietly with a soft nod. So this fiery woman of destruction liked other women, and sacrificed a lot in the process, "then why don't you tell her?"

"Because, love gets in the way in the world of armors. Time and time again," she said with a smirk and started walking back in. She looked at him winked, "you tell her, and I hurt you."

He nodded as she disappeared back and went back to watching the sky. He wondered about Lee as he stood there in the cool air. What a strange woman who set his heart racing. Did she have that same weird charm the other two women did? Or was he foolish to just like her? His heart still ached for the woman he lost in Los Angeles, had enough time passed? It was hard for him to know.

"You've grown up so much," a soft female voice said from behind him.

"Hi, Lady Kayura," Ryo addressed without turning. She came up beside him, "why do you say that?"

"You're not as battle thirsty as you once were," she said touching his hand.

He squeezed her fingers softly, "Mia is missing."

"As I can see. What else have you lost?"

He looked at the woman in the lavish kimono. Hard to tell that she was just as brutal as the other warlords, but just as wise as the Ancient Ones. Ryo ran a hand through his hair, "I fell in love with someone and I lost her."

"I'm sorry," she apologized softly and looked off as well. "Many armor bearers choose not to love at all for this reason. Though many have just chosen lust."

Ryo flushed red at hearing her talk, "Not the same."

"No, it isn't," she said rolling her eyes back. "But for the old gods, its just as good. For the younger ones, its chaos as treatises fall beneath their young hearts."

"You mean Hoshi? Have you come to warn me about her as well," he asked and looked over the small woman. She was not as small as the other three, which made her look far more grown up, but there was a look of age in her eyes that only the warlords had. And Lee.

"Yes, and no," she paused to hop up on the bannister. "Armors with similar origins, tend attract very hard. The same with armors of polar opposites. Fire and Ice…."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"The Viking is a very lovely woman," Kayura said politely giving him a look. "Your armor may be attracted to hers, for that reason, just as Touma's is attracted to the Mikaboshi's. Armors love power, and they love to collect it. Just don't your hearts get in the way."

"Great," he sighed heavily and leaned over the bannister. "Do you know if she's okay?"

"The Viking? I meditated over it and I cannot be for sure," she said touching his shoulder. "But we could not defeat her, neither could Saber Strike, so I'm sure she's okay."

"Yeah," Ryo nodded, unable to forget that feeling his chest.

Kayura hopped down, "you're a good leader, Ryo. Please, for your sake, try not to cloud your judgement with worry."

He just nodded again and she continued to walk on. The castle was quiet, except for a few spirits. By morning, the soldiers would be reformed to protect the castle while they were gone. Things were getting progressively more complicated. She heard the sound of bare feet on stone, but it seemed almost timed and rhythmic. She stopped and followed the noise back a ways, and found a dark corridor. There was a door open, but there was nothing in that room as far as she remembered. But then again, Rajura was always changing things around. She walked along and peered around the door and smile slowly appeared on her rosy lips.

Meri was pressed a foot against the cold stone with her eyes closed. Her headphones playing the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". That was her favorite role in ballet. The songs were whimsical, and enchanting, and oh so very magical. She whirled on her feet, as the new energy flowed through her with such passion. The music was a lightly peppered melody made to sound like the songs from a music box, and her movements were to match. Mostly pirouettes and soft balances on the tips of her toes. She twirled with her eyes closed remembering her the fans who cheered her during the Nutcracker. The adrenaline it was~! Much like how she felt in this moment. Ah, but this was not her favorite song. Her favorite was the "Dance of the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy". Though that one was hard to do without a prince to hold her hand and steady her. One day she would have a prince of her own, one who would never let her hand go, and would be her partner to lean on. Ruby called Meri's dreams naive and romanticized, but there was nothing wrong with that was there?

Kayura watched the woman move with grace she had never seen before. It was so quick and dainty. The woman with curly hair was a quick as sword on her feet, and just as precise. She felt someone blow against her ear and looked at Anubis, quietly whispering, "shh."

"Oh," he said in his comrades ear. "That is delightful."

"You stay away from her," she hissed softly. "All three of you."

"But that's no fun," Anubis said as he watched the small woman move like wind across the floor. She was lost in whatever world she was in, but from the outside, it was the most lovely show of grace he had ever seen. Even beyond the bearer of Korin. "I will not do anything of my own volition."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Kayura growled at him and pulled him to the side and down a ways. "She is nice girl, all of the Ametarasu are very nice girls from what I've read, but that's also dangerous. There are many who will protect that innocence if she's hurt."

He nodded with his arms crossed, "are we using innocence in place of another world."

Kayura turned scarlet head to toe and grabbed his ear, yanking him down to her height. She hissed again, "I'm sure she can handle herself. But you break her heart, and I'm not the only person you worry about."

"Alright, alright," he laughed softly and brushed her off. "Shouldn't you be helping out the Mikaboshi?"

"That's what I am doing," she growled even softer. "Keeping you morons from causing an internal struggle."

"Well, then," he smiled as he heard a crack. He walked back, Kayura walking the other way, and he noticed that she had snapped her toenail completely off but was still lost her mind. How strong was her training in these movements, that her toenail snapping, hadn't even woke her from her mind. He admired that. It was more resilient that several of the warriors he had once looked after.

She was lost in the song, in the snow of a perfect mountain with so many other toy dancers. The snow glittered, and the trees sparkled, and sky shined with diamond stars. She whirled and whirled and whirled. Her feet began to ache and she opened her eyes, realizing she was back in the stone castle. She stopped and looked down, she had torn a toe nail off. She looked around and noticed circles of blood, and then heard someone clap. She squeaked and saw the dark man from before, "oh, um thank you…. Sorry, if this your space...and all."

"All darkness is my realm," Anubis answered as he walked in. "As it would seem is yours as well."

"The brightest star is surrounded by darkness," she said briefly. It was something one of her professors had told her when she started medical classes. Not all doctors were as brilliant as Meri and Ruby, there was a place for surgeons, but there was also a place for doctors. Doctors were the light in the dark, and shone brighter to those they helped back from the night. Nothing, a good personality couldn't do.

"Yes, that is how it works," he said kneeling down and picking up her foot and placing it on his knee as it dripped crimson. He pulled a small handkerchief from his robes and wrapped up the toe. He looked up at her, "so much grace, on such small delicate point."

She realized, he might have no idea what ballet is as she blushed, "I've been dancing since i was three."

He placed a cool hand on her skin and she shivered, "what a strange sort of dance. I know nothing of the human realm now, care to tell me about it?"

She slowly pulled her foot away, and bowed holding out a hand to him. She wondered if he would understand her movements, after all, fighting was much like dancing. She explained, "it's called the 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' by Tchaikovsky. I performed in front of a thousand people, and they did blink a single eye."

He smiled as he took her hand. Kayura was right, this girl was nice, but she was something else as well. She was exquisite as alabaster and she made him so curious, "tell me this tale?"

She stepped using his hand to steady her on her good foot, "the story goes that there is child waiting for Christmas morning to open her presents. On this night, she is with family, and notices a Nutcracker soldier. He stands straight and tall…"

Anubis rose to her height, she was very delightful.

"Marie, the child, cracks some nuts but her terrible cousin tries to break a nut too and snaps his jaw. Distraught, Marie, bandages the toy with one of her ribbons," she said moving in slow pirouette while still holding his hand, touching his strong chin. "As she goes to bed, the doll comes to life for just a second, and she quietly goes to bed. When she wakes, she is no longer in her world but the world of the tiny toys, and they are war~!"

"What a predicament," he added as he touched his free hand to hers and then helped her move into a another twirl.

"Indeed, for the Princess has killed the Mouse Queens children, and the Mouse queen has turned her into an ugly being," she says feigning a swoon. "Forever, a lowly toy. Then one day, Marie arrives thinking it is all but a dream. But the Nutcracker, thankful for her care, has come to aid her on her journey."

Anubis moved with her across the floor, although he hardly moved at all, she used his steps in order to turn hers. It was more miraculous so close, "and her journey to where?"

"To slay the Mouse King, and return the princess to whom she was," she said bowing low and wincing ever so softly. She could feel her energy slowly leaving her.

He scooped her up swiftly, "sounds like an epic battle."

"If you think tutus are dangerous," she joked but realized he had no idea what she was talking about.

"You're delightfully absurd," he smiled as he looked at her. There was a smug grin on his square tan face. "We should fix your toe before its infected. "

She nodded as he walked while still carrying her out of the room. He certainly was strong but even the smallest armor bearer like herself had quite a bit more strength than the average person, "you read my movements well."

"Seemed planned very much like a battle," he answered.

She hadn't thought of it that way, "there is another dance that I loved doing so."

He looked at her with his dark eyes and she she seemed unafraid despite how she behaved around Naaza earlier. That was a first. In all of his years as Warlord, there was none who were not scared of him. Except maybe Seiji, but that man was a strange one himself.

"'The Dance of the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy'," she smiled him with her brilliant green eyes. He had never been charmed by an armor before, and although he knew it was there, he had no intention of keeping it at bay. This small woman was meant for the armor, because only true bearers were one with the abilities in such a seemless and hypnotic way.

"Hm, she has a Prince," he asked coyly.

"A very brilliant one," she replied touching his hair.

He slid open a rice paper covered door and sat her down on soft cushions, "and this is all a story told by dance?"

She nodded as she watched him move across the room to a set of drawers. He moved so elegantly himself for being such a large man, and she answered, "one of many."

"Care to tell me another," he said glancing back.

"How about the tale of the evil witch who turned a princess into a swan," she said moving to her good knee and bowing low with her arms extended like wings.

"Are you sure that's not reality," he laughed.

She blushed and sat up her knees with a huff, "none that i know of~!"

Anubis laughed again and came back with a small vile and some cotton. He poked her nose softly with his finger, "and another?"

She came up on her knees and laid her hands on his chest ever so softly. He could look deep in those emerald of hers and get lost in the brilliance as she spoke, "there is the tale of 'Sleeping Beauty'. A princess charmed by an old angry Faerie to sleep for Eternity…"

She swooned back some dramatic like, "if only woken by True Love's first kiss."

Anubis leaned in pressed his lips against her, they were rose colored and full and tasted like summer. She pressed her lips back and slowly reached a hand up to run her fingers through his wavy hair. It was soft and thick and wild to her soft touch. He pulled back and smiled at her, "you're incredibly charming."

"So I've been warned," she said as he sat her back and gently worked the handkerchief off her toe and applied some ointment. She winced as it stung, and then he wrapped her toe with gauze gently. She studied him with her big green eyes as doctored her toe. Had she assumed how he was from just seeing the statue, she would have assumed he was a terrible man. There were some scars that showed underneath the collar of his robes. Maybe a ferocious warrior who was a nightmare in battle, but was incredibly gentle with her. Sometimes, armors and people in battles were far different when she got to know them.

He looked up at her, "you're inquisitive."

"Right to be," she smirked and leaned on an elbow. "I mean, you _are_ Anubis of has quite a history to it."

He crossed the bandaged foot over her good one and sat next to her, "ah, but history is usually one sided."

She leaned on her hand, her curls cascading and springing around her face. He pushed a curl out of her face as she added, "so who are you really?"

He smirked and leaned into her ear, "a very old demon."

"Oh good, I am very young goddess," she laughed and laid her arms on his shoulders. There was still so much energy burning inside of her, and she knew Ruby would be mad if she found out about this. But Ruby was a prude.

He nipped gently at her neck with his teeth, "what if I just ate you up?"

"That won't do," she giggled holding onto him as he pressed against her more. Her heart was hammering with excitement in her chest, but she still tingled with so much energy that she wanted to get rid of. "I hear a first time is ever so sweet."

He pulled back some and searched that innocent face with a raised eyebrow, "first?"

She nods and cups his face, "first."

He blinks slowly as thoughts about how to proceed had already changed. He had many lovers in his long life, and a virgin was treat that he had learned how to savor. He looked her over, "are you certain that you want to be so...impulsive?"

Meri sat up some and looked him over, touching the scar on his face. She smiled softly, "I've decided that I want to enjoy my time, since tomorrow the world may come down on us."

That was good enough reason for him and he pressed his lips to hers.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The hunger

(short chapter is short. XD If you want the adult part. Message me. xD)

Kayura already had a feeling that Anubis was having fun with the bright woman with curly hair. Goddesses tended to have as much self reserve as a kid with candy. It was just how some armors were. She was so happy hers wasn't that way in so many ways. Shu was up pacing the halls like Ryo was, "can't sleep either?"

He looked at her, "yeah."

"It's not like you to worry in a such a manner," she said as she looked him over. He seemed stronger than ever before, he must have been training, but for some reason there was a look in his eyes she didn't understand. She came up and pat his face, "are you still hungry?"

"Always, Lady," he laughed and she motioned for him to follow.

"So," she started softly. "What's on your mind as well?"

"Oh, nothing~! Just can't sleep."

"Shu, I may not have known you very long but I know that even when we battled, you could find sleep," she said sternly and looking at him over.

"Nothing to do with this, I should say," he said looking over her. She was such an intuitive person. It was true there was a lot on his mind, nothing to do with their current situation. Battle usually ended his worries, but it wasn't going to help this.

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me."

"I don't want you to think less of me," he said rubbing the back of his head.

She looked at him again and slowed to his pace, "why would ever think less of you? You are a Ronin, and a mighty warrior who helped save my life. What is bothering you, old friend?"

He placed a hand on her satin hair, "you ever tell yourself your not something so much that for a while you believe it?"

"No," she answered curtly. She had no idea what he was on about.

"Then someone reminds you who you are in a manner that makes you feel alive again."

She looked at him blankly.

He sighed and hung his head low, "I admitted to someone that I loved them and it wasn't returned."

"Oh," she said as they reached the kitchen. "Who was this someone?"

He shook his head.

She looked at him with narrowed eyes for a moment and pulled open cabinets. She found some bread and some cheese left over and began to cut it, "everyone gets their heart broken. I'm not sure why you feel so confused about it."

He leaned against a wall and shook his head, "because…."

She ate a piece of dried cheese looking at him curiously.

"I'm gay," he said to her softly and lowering his head.

Kayura laughed lightly and handed him a piece of bread and cheese, "why would you let this bother you?"

He looked at her blankly and took the food politely, "you aren't upset with me?"

"Who you love as human is up to you, no one should be mad about who you fall in love with," she answered with a soft smile. She took his free hand lightly and squeezed it. She looked at him over again and then realized what had happened, "who was it you tried to give your heart to?"

Shu shook his head, squeezing her hand softly.

"Was is it another ronin," she said as she saw tears slowly falling down his face. They glittered in the soft light of the castle and she reached up to wipe his eyes. She hugged him softly. He was such a sweet man under his tough exterior. Shu hugged her tightly to him and felt his tears running down his face as he squeezed her to him.

He whispered softly as he held her, "Shin. I told him...I loved him because I couldn't hold it in my heart anymore. And he...didn't return them, i knew he wouldn't, but I just..."

Kayura reached up and hugged him tightly. She rubbed the tears away from his eyes and kissed each one softly. There was nothing she could say that could quell that sort of heartbreak. He was a strong warrior with a heart of gold, obnoxious at times, but he was genuine. A secret like that was probably eating at him for some time. She smiled at him, "have you not told them?"

He shook his head quietly.

She looked at him with a soft head tilt, "they cannot trust you with their lives, if you are not honest with them."

He slid down the wall and looked up at her, "our world is not like yours. People hate for this of thing."

"That sounds ridiculous," she said grabbing the cheese and bread. Slicing some more and eating a little herself. "Your world at times scares me more than any demon here. Could humans really hate someone for loving someone?"

He nodded quietly pulling his knees up.

"I doubt they would hate you though?"

"Shin hates me," he said from behind his knees and looked up as she handed him some more cheese.

"I don't think that he hates you," she paused as he nibbled on the food. "I think I would feel very awkward if someone told me they loved me out of nowhere and I didn't love them back. None of you guys could hate each other after everything, I think. Just give him some time and focus on yourself for now."

Shu nodded and finished his cheese.

She reached up touched his fluffy waves and got up. She handed him the bread and cheese, "Shu, please stay genuine for me. The world of armors is a terribly complicated place and it would be nice to have someone trust."

He helped up his fists, "you can always count on me, Lady."

She touched his fist recognizing it as sort of a handshake, "thank you, Shu. You should get some rest though, night is long here, and tomorrow will be a long day."

He nodded as she left the kitchen. He munched on the bread and laid his head back, it was swimming as Touma came in and noticed him with big eyes. Shu looked at him and ate another piece of aged cheese. It tasted like something similar to parmesan, but he wondered where there were cows in the Nether Realm. Did the Warlords have some sort functioning society here? Was it not just a realm of chaos and destruction? He offered some cheese to his blue haired friend, "where have you been?"

Touma slid down the wall next to him, "went for a walk with Hoshi."

Shu nodded ever so softly and crunched a piece of bread, "she seems like a strange one."

"She's nice," Touma smirked as he leaned on a knee and bit in the cheese. "Very timid, but the armor seems to like to be around her. That's strange."

The larger man gave him a silent nod.

"Look Shin told me what happened," Touma said looking at him and Shu paled like a ghost. He gently pat his friend's shoulder, "hey, don't be so tense about it. Sort of figured."

"How," he asked asked.

"Always trying to hit on girls more obvious than the rest of us," the blue haired man paused as he thought about the past. "Also, remember, we sort of shared a body when we made the inferno armor."

"So i guess everyone knows then," Shu said curling up tighter and hiding his face in his knees. His heart was hammering in his chest. Of course they all knew, how stupid he was being. All five of them shared a body at one point when they made that blasted armor. Shin wasn't mad he was gay, he was mad that Shu had hid his feelings from him for so long.

"Buddy, none of us care that you like guys," Touma shrugged and smiled at him as he rubbed his shoulder. "Especially Shin, i just don't think he wants to ruin your relationship as friends. Give him time, and take some time as well. Besides, this whole world of armors crashing down on us, maybe you'll find a knight or two."

Shu turned his head and snorted at him, "so what's going on with you and Hoshi?"

"Nothing," Touma blushed red and took another piece of dried cheese. "She's just, sort of lonely. Must be hard being something so powerful but you can't use that power for anything."

Shu nodded and continued to eat, "i shouldn't stress eat."

"No, you shouldn't," Touma laughed and stood up with a smirk. "You ordered like ten cheeseburgers when we were New York."

"Hey, I had good reasons," he pouted with a wink playfully. He slowly stood up and playfully punched his shoulder, "you should go hang out with her."

Touma raised an eyebrow, "that obvious, huh?"

"She's cute and you seem to keep her in good spirits," Shu said rubbing a hand through the back of his own hair. "We're adults, in kind of a sticky situation. Who am I to say to not have some fun if that's what you guys want."

The blue haired man turned red at his friends words as the big man turned to leave. He gulped and drank some cold water from a pitcher before walking down the hallway. He stuck his hands in pockets, his heart hammering in his chest as he remembered Hoshi after dinner. She held his hand so tenderly as they walked around the castle. She was incredibly smart underneath her shy quietness. Her words tender and soft as her fingers wrapped in his so nicely. Her hair like spun moonlight, and eyes like blue dwarf stars. He wanted to kiss her and hold her close so badly. He had a few girlfriends since Suzanagi. Smart and tactful women, but they seemed like they were from a different world. They liked shopping, and movie stars, and television shows. There was nothing wrong with that, he figured, but they after a while they seemed to be so shallow.

He knocked on her door softly, "Hoshi?"

"Come in," she said softly and he opened the door. The room was dark except for a single candle lit and the starlight coming in. Hoshi looked so small next to the big stone window. She almost glowed in its light and he felt his heart skip. Part of him wanted to believe it was just the armor, but it was more than that. She looked back, "I thought I had scared you off then."

Touma closed the door and walked up beside her, "I'm not easily scared."

She looked at him with those burning eyes, "but I am much bigger monster than I look."

"You're no monster," he said cupping her face softly. HIs fingers gently touching the burns, they were cool and waxy to the touch. She was so small we he stood next to her.

"I'm the big bad wolf, hadn't you heard," she said touching his chest softly.

He wrapped his fingers between hers. Her skin was cool against his and he leaned forward to press his head against hers. He shivered at her cool skin, "such a pretty one, if that's the case."

Hoshi looked up with curiosity and then pulled away, "I am not at all beautiful."

Touma paused quietly as she went to look back the stars. He slowly came up to her pulled back her bangs and traced the line of burns that went across her face and neck. They disappeared underneath robe. He leaned over and kissed the burns on her temple, "you are indeed beautiful."

"That's just your armor talking," she said lowering her head. "You don't feel anything real for me."

He pulled her against his chest and ran his hands through her satin hair. "Yes, the armor feels yours and doesn't want to let you go. But aside from that, I don't want to let you go either."

She propped her chin on his chest. Her eyes were so sad and he pulled her tight against him feeling his racing heart. She slid her hands along his sides, "the armor wants me to do some very irrational things."

"Irrational," he asked petting her hair gently.

"Because it loves power and it knows I'm tired," she said burying her face and in his shirt. His body heat felt so good to her amor. It took her months to recover after remaking the armors to regain any sort of energy back. In fact it almost killed her to do so, but only the memory of her child kept her alive. She had to find him. It was selfish of her to let the armors wants motivate her actions but he wanted to be there with her. "I can regain my energy...from us."

Touma pet her hair softly, "then…"

"What if you end up hating me," she answered muffling her voice in her clothes. "I don't want you to hate me."

Touma shook his head and kissed the top of hers, "never. Even if it is just for now. I will always be your friend even if we part ways after this."

She nodded softly but stayed quiet as she hung onto his shirt.

He kissed her head again and held wrapped his arms around her. He wanted to let her make up her own mind about what she wanted. He knew he wanted her, his body ached for hers, but he also knew that she had her own will and the will of her armor to face. Was there a worse fate for a armor to give someone, he wasn't sure, but he wanted her to be sure of what she could do about it.

Hoshi pulled away from him, "Touma…"

He nodded softly and started to walk out.

She grabbed his hand and looked at him with burning eyes, "stay with me tonight?"

He smiled and went to her.


End file.
